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Jun 4, 2010
Disability, Dysfunction, or Deception: Explaining Acquired Occupational Disability, Part Twelve
Category: General
Posted by: Chris P
Acquired disability following trauma is an area that is in dire need of discussion and explanation. Unless an expert is fully informed of the multitude of preand post-injury medical and psychosocial dynamics that surround an individual’s claim of occupational disability, he or she may not be in a position to make absolute judgments regarding residual employability, preand post-work capacity, or the causal attribution of vocational disability. Causal attribution is critical in determining disability chronicity following trauma, as the host of contributing psychosocial dynamics effecting unproductive states are often overlooked when investigating the most obvious reason for work absence, a so-called explanatory event. A thorough and accurate history-taking is necessary when assessing pre-injury work longevity, determining residual employability, and causally ascribing occupational disability to a particular event. Acquiring a complete and reliable history through various sources places the expert in a better position to offer a professionally certain opinion. Written by Jasen Walker, EdD; from the Spring 2006 Forensic Examiner.
[More]
Published by Dr. Robert O'Block
Tags: medical impairment, occupational disability, attribution theory, disability proneness, work perception, ACFEI, forensics
Jun 3, 2010
Disability, Dysfunction, or Deception: Explaining Acquired Occupational Disability, Part Eleven
Category: General
Posted by: Chris P
Acquired disability following trauma is an area that is in dire need of discussion and explanation. Unless an expert is fully informed of the multitude of preand post-injury medical and psychosocial dynamics that surround an individual’s claim of occupational disability, he or she may not be in a position to make absolute judgments regarding residual employability, preand post-work capacity, or the causal attribution of vocational disability. Causal attribution is critical in determining disability chronicity following trauma, as the host of contributing psychosocial dynamics effecting unproductive states are often overlooked when investigating the most obvious reason for work absence, a so-called explanatory event. A thorough and accurate history-taking is necessary when assessing pre-injury work longevity, determining residual employability, and causally ascribing occupational disability to a particular event. Acquiring a complete and reliable history through various sources places the expert in a better position to offer a professionally certain opinion. Written by Jasen Walker, EdD; from the Spring 2006 Forensic Examiner.
[More]
Published by Dr. Robert O'Block
Tags: medical impairment, occupational disability, attribution theory, disability proneness, work perception, ACFEI, forensics
Jun 2, 2010
Disability, Dysfunction, or Deception: Explaining Acquired Occupational Disability, Part Ten
Category: General
Posted by: Chris P
Acquired disability following trauma is an area that is in dire need of discussion and explanation. Unless an expert is fully informed of the multitude of preand post-injury medical and psychosocial dynamics that surround an individual’s claim of occupational disability, he or she may not be in a position to make absolute judgments regarding residual employability, preand post-work capacity, or the causal attribution of vocational disability. Causal attribution is critical in determining disability chronicity following trauma, as the host of contributing psychosocial dynamics effecting unproductive states are often overlooked when investigating the most obvious reason for work absence, a so-called explanatory event. A thorough and accurate history-taking is necessary when assessing pre-injury work longevity, determining residual employability, and causally ascribing occupational disability to a particular event. Acquiring a complete and reliable history through various sources places the expert in a better position to offer a professionally certain opinion. Written by Jasen Walker, EdD; from the Spring 2006 Forensic Examiner.
[More]
Published by Dr. Robert O'Block
Tags: medical impairment, occupational disability, attribution theory, disability proneness, work perception, ACFEI, forensics
Jun 1, 2010
Disability, Dysfunction, or Deception: Explaining Acquired Occupational Disability, Part Nine
Category: General
Posted by: Chris P
Acquired disability following trauma is an area that is in dire need of discussion and explanation. Unless an expert is fully informed of the multitude of preand post-injury medical and psychosocial dynamics that surround an individual’s claim of occupational disability, he or she may not be in a position to make absolute judgments regarding residual employability, preand post-work capacity, or the causal attribution of vocational disability. Causal attribution is critical in determining disability chronicity following trauma, as the host of contributing psychosocial dynamics effecting unproductive states are often overlooked when investigating the most obvious reason for work absence, a so-called explanatory event. A thorough and accurate history-taking is necessary when assessing pre-injury work longevity, determining residual employability, and causally ascribing occupational disability to a particular event. Acquiring a complete and reliable history through various sources places the expert in a better position to offer a professionally certain opinion. Written by Jasen Walker, EdD; from the Spring 2006 Forensic Examiner.
[More]
Published by Dr. Robert O'Block
Tags: medical impairment, occupational disability, attribution theory, disability proneness, work perception, ACFEI, forensics
May 28, 2010
Disability, Dysfunction, or Deception: Explaining Acquired Occupational Disability, Part Eight
Category: General
Posted by: Chris P
Acquired disability following trauma is an area that is in dire need of discussion and explanation. Unless an expert is fully informed of the multitude of preand post-injury medical and psychosocial dynamics that surround an individual’s claim of occupational disability, he or she may not be in a position to make absolute judgments regarding residual employability, preand post-work capacity, or the causal attribution of vocational disability. Causal attribution is critical in determining disability chronicity following trauma, as the host of contributing psychosocial dynamics effecting unproductive states are often overlooked when investigating the most obvious reason for work absence, a so-called explanatory event. A thorough and accurate history-taking is necessary when assessing pre-injury work longevity, determining residual employability, and causally ascribing occupational disability to a particular event. Acquiring a complete and reliable history through various sources places the expert in a better position to offer a professionally certain opinion. Written by Jasen Walker, EdD; from the Spring 2006 Forensic Examiner.
[More]
Published by Dr. Robert O'Block
Tags: medical impairment, occupational disability, attribution theory, disability proneness, work perception, ACFEI, forensics
May 27, 2010
Disability, Dysfunction, or Deception: Explaining Acquired Occupational Disability, Part Seven
Category: General
Posted by: Chris P
Acquired disability following trauma is an area that is in dire need of discussion and explanation. Unless an expert is fully informed of the multitude of preand post-injury medical and psychosocial dynamics that surround an individual’s claim of occupational disability, he or she may not be in a position to make absolute judgments regarding residual employability, preand post-work capacity, or the causal attribution of vocational disability. Causal attribution is critical in determining disability chronicity following trauma, as the host of contributing psychosocial dynamics effecting unproductive states are often overlooked when investigating the most obvious reason for work absence, a so-called explanatory event. A thorough and accurate history-taking is necessary when assessing pre-injury work longevity, determining residual employability, and causally ascribing occupational disability to a particular event. Acquiring a complete and reliable history through various sources places the expert in a better position to offer a professionally certain opinion. Written by Jasen Walker, EdD; from the Spring 2006 Forensic Examiner.
[More]
Published by Dr. Robert O'Block
Tags: medical impairment, occupational disability, attribution theory, disability proneness, work perception, ACFEI, forensics
May 26, 2010
Disability, Dysfunction, or Deception: Explaining Acquired Occupational Disability, Part Six
Category: General
Posted by: Chris P
Acquired disability following trauma is an area that is in dire need of discussion and explanation. Unless an expert is fully informed of the multitude of preand post-injury medical and psychosocial dynamics that surround an individual’s claim of occupational disability, he or she may not be in a position to make absolute judgments regarding residual employability, preand post-work capacity, or the causal attribution of vocational disability. Causal attribution is critical in determining disability chronicity following trauma, as the host of contributing psychosocial dynamics effecting unproductive states are often overlooked when investigating the most obvious reason for work absence, a so-called explanatory event. A thorough and accurate history-taking is necessary when assessing pre-injury work longevity, determining residual employability, and causally ascribing occupational disability to a particular event. Acquiring a complete and reliable history through various sources places the expert in a better position to offer a professionally certain opinion. Written by Jasen Walker, EdD; from the Spring 2006 Forensic Examiner.
[More]
Published by Dr. Robert O'Block
Tags: medical impairment, occupational disability, attribution theory, disability proneness, work perception, ACFEI, forensics
May 25, 2010
Disability, Dysfunction, or Deception: Explaining Acquired Occupational Disability, Part Five
Category: General
Posted by: Chris P
Acquired disability following trauma is an area that is in dire need of discussion and explanation. Unless an expert is fully informed of the multitude of preand post-injury medical and psychosocial dynamics that surround an individual’s claim of occupational disability, he or she may not be in a position to make absolute judgments regarding residual employability, preand post-work capacity, or the causal attribution of vocational disability. Causal attribution is critical in determining disability chronicity following trauma, as the host of contributing psychosocial dynamics effecting unproductive states are often overlooked when investigating the most obvious reason for work absence, a so-called explanatory event. A thorough and accurate history-taking is necessary when assessing pre-injury work longevity, determining residual employability, and causally ascribing occupational disability to a particular event. Acquiring a complete and reliable history through various sources places the expert in a better position to offer a professionally certain opinion. Written by Jasen Walker, EdD; from the Spring 2006 Forensic Examiner.
[More]
Published by Dr. Robert O'Block
Tags: medical impairment, occupational disability, attribution theory, disability proneness, work perception, ACFEI, forensics
May 24, 2010
Disability, Dysfunction, or Deception: Explaining Acquired Occupational Disability, Part Four
Category: General
Posted by: Chris P
Acquired disability following trauma is an area that is in dire need of discussion and explanation. Unless an expert is fully informed of the multitude of preand post-injury medical and psychosocial dynamics that surround an individual’s claim of occupational disability, he or she may not be in a position to make absolute judgments regarding residual employability, preand post-work capacity, or the causal attribution of vocational disability. Causal attribution is critical in determining disability chronicity following trauma, as the host of contributing psychosocial dynamics effecting unproductive states are often overlooked when investigating the most obvious reason for work absence, a so-called explanatory event. A thorough and accurate history-taking is necessary when assessing pre-injury work longevity, determining residual employability, and causally ascribing occupational disability to a particular event. Acquiring a complete and reliable history through various sources places the expert in a better position to offer a professionally certain opinion. Written by Jasen Walker, EdD; from the Spring 2006 Forensic Examiner.
[More]
Published by Dr. Robert O'Block
Tags: medical impairment, occupational disability, attribution theory, disability proneness, work perception, ACFEI, forensics
May 19, 2010
ACFEI Approvals and Accreditations
Category: General
Posted by: Chris P

To see this information on the Web site, please visit:

 

http://www.acfei.com/about_acfei/aa/

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Published by Dr. Robert O'Block
Tags: ACFEI, The Forensic Examiner, American College of Forensic Examiners Institute
May 27, 2010

Disability, Dysfunction, or Deception: Explaining Acquired Occupational Disability, Part Seven

Acquired disability following trauma is an area that is in dire need of discussion and explanation. Unless an expert is fully informed of the multitude of preand post-injury medical and psychosocial dynamics that surround an individual’s claim of occupational disability, he or she may not be in a position to make absolute judgments regarding residual employability, preand post-work capacity, or the causal attribution of vocational disability. Causal attribution is critical in determining disability chronicity following trauma, as the host of contributing psychosocial dynamics effecting unproductive states are often overlooked when investigating the most obvious reason for work absence, a so-called explanatory event. A thorough and accurate history-taking is necessary when assessing pre-injury work longevity, determining residual employability, and causally ascribing occupational disability to a particular event. Acquiring a complete and reliable history through various sources places the expert in a better position to offer a professionally certain opinion. Written by Jasen Walker, EdD; from the Spring 2006 Forensic Examiner.
Category: General
Posted by: Chris P

Locus of Control

Locus of control is a useful construct in terms of vocational rehabilitation. At its simplest, locus of control is an individual’s perception of the cause of events in one’s life: either one believes he or she controls his or her own destiny (internal), or one believes that others, luck, or fate control one’s outcomes (external).

Locus of control is closely related to the concept of attribution. An attribution is an explanation of what happens to one’s self and/or others. In general, an internal locus of control is seen as being more desirable. Consider the following descriptions of internality and externality:

• It is an internal attribution about oneself when one succeeds (I did it myself).

• It is an internal attribution about others when they fail (It was their fault).

• It is an external attribution about oneself when one fails (Something/Someone else made me fail).

• It is an external attribution about others when they succeed (They got lucky).

Research (Mamlin, Harris, & Case, 2001) has shown the following trends:

• Males tend to be more internal than females.

• As people get older, they tend to become more internal.

• People higher up in the organizational structure tend to be more internal.

Although these trends are not absolute, they may serve as a starting point for vocational counselors working with clients. It is generally agreed that locus of control is largely a learned condition. For a client who is resisting vocational counseling and incidentally exhibiting an external locus of control, it may be a useful strategy to work toward reversing that bias. There are a number of questionnaires that are designed to determine internal and/or external locus of control. Rotter’s original “29-item Locus of Control Questionnaire” is still used, and newer questionnaires are also available.

The value of starting with knowledge of the client’s locus of control bias is that an external locus of control can lead directly to the loss of control. The important research in respect to loss of control is Seligman’s learned helplessness (1975). Since locus of control is learned as opposed to innate, clients drift toward learned helplessness as a maladaptive outcome of having no control over what is happening to them. Moving from what may have been an internal locus of control to an external locus of control is a maladaptive adaptive response that may be reversed by sharing knowledge of the condition with the client and devising reversal strategies. Counselors need to be cautioned against simplistic judgments derived from an over-reliance on the locus of control concept, but sharing knowledge about a reality can seldom be injurious. Acknowledging personal responsibility is an important first step for clients resisting return-to-work actions.

To be continued.

Published by Dr. Robert O'Block
Tags: medical impairment, occupational disability, attribution theory, disability proneness, work perception, ACFEI, forensics